A report to the congregation of Heritage Presbyterian Church of the 2015 PCA General Assembly

1. 43RD GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
2015 Report

2. • What: General Assembly (GA) is the highest
court of the PCA. It is a business meeting, a
conference, a reunion, a worship event, and a
ministry expo.
• Dates: June 8-11, 2015
• Place: Chattanooga, TN
• Attendance
• 1,086 TEs; 308 REs
• 79 of 82 presbyteries represented
• First time voting recorded electronically!

3. PCA 2014 STATS
1. Churches & Missions: 1,831 (+23
from 2013)
2. Professions of Faith: 9,425 (+299
from 2013)
3. Membership: 358,516 (+1,318 from
2013)
4. Total Family Units: 136,849 (-477
from 2013)

4. PCA 2014 STATS*
5. Long Term Missionaries: 596 (-24 from
2013)
6. Two Year Missionaries: 115 (-3 from 2013)
7. Missionary Interns: 230 (-46 from 2013)
8. Two Week Missionaries: 4,599 (-211 from
2012)
9. RUF: 125 campuses in 42 states in 60
presbyteries
* 10. Less than 50% of PCA churches reported
their stats. It is likely the PCA had modest
growth from 2014.

5. SIGNIFICANT ISSUES
DEBATED VIA OVERTURE
• Study committee regarding details of Sabbath
observance. Not approved.
• Amending baptismal vows to remove
“dedication” language. Not approved.
• Require ordained officers to testify in trials
when officer is accused of doctrinal error. Not
approved.
• Decisions by Presbytery Judicial Commissions
be final and binding. Not approved.

6. CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
• Assembly-wide seminar: How to Advance
Ethnic Outreach and Ministry in the PCA
• A major theme of GA (sermons, seminars,
assembly prayers)
• A number of seminars (5) where same-sex
marriage, controversial gender issues, and
other sexual sins were addressed
• Also discussed at Covenant College CoC and
RTS lunch meetings (and probably others)

7. ASSEMBLY HIGHLIGHT
• Resolution regarding Civil Rights
• Introduced as a personal overture upon the 50th
anniversary of the Selma-to-Montgomery March and
the Civil Rights Act of 1965.
• Called GA to express repentance for the failure of
some churches and Christians of that era to stand in
solidarity with African-American brothers and sisters
and for failing to pursue racial reconciliation
adequately.
• This became the single issue on which GA spent the
most time.
• Longest extended prayer time in the history of PCA’s
GAs. Many saw it as a palpable move of the Spirit.

8. OTHER GA 2015 REPORTS
• PCA Stated Clerk’s summary
• http://byfaithonline.com/actions-of-the-43rd-
general-assembly-of-the-pca/
• One PCA pastor’s summary
• http://theaquilareport.com/pca-general-
assembly-report-2015/
• A pastor’s first-hand account of “The Protest of
2015”
• https://pastortimlecroy.wordpress.com/2015/06/1
5/the-protest-of-2015/